The Wager Disaster by C.H. Layman

Author:C.H. Layman [Layman, C.H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cannibal, disaster, navy, Cheape, mutiny, shipwreck, chile, byron, Wager, ship, mayhem
ISBN: 9781910065518
Publisher: Uniform Press
Published: 2015-02-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Foul Weather Defeats Them

Wager Island, 15th December 1741. The 17 survivors set out in the two small boats to attempt the perilous crossing of the bay. Foul weather defeats them again and again, and they suffer desperate hunger and cold. The yawl is overturned and lost with one man drowned. There being insufficient room for all in the barge, four marines are left ashore.

From Midshipman Byron’s narrative

The day being tolerable, we told Captain Cheap we thought it a fine opportunity to run across the bay. But he most desired two or three of us to accompany him to our place of observation, the top of Mount Misery, when looking through his perspective,[3] he observed to us that the sea ran very high without. However this had no weight with the people, who were desirous at all events to be gone. I should here observe that Captain Cheap’s plan was if possible to get to the island of Chiloé; and if we found any vessel there to board her immediately, and cut her out.[4] This he certainly might have done with ease had it been his good fortune to get round with the boats.

We now launched both boats and got everything on board of them as quick as possible. Captain Cheap, the Surgeon, and myself, were in the barge with nine men, and Lieutenant Hamilton and Mr Campbell in the yawl with six. I steered the barge, and Mr Campbell the yawl; but we had not been two hours at sea before the wind shifted more to the westward, and began to blow very hard and the sea run extremely high, so that we could no longer keep our heads towards the cape or headland we had designed for. This Cape[5] we had had a view of in one of the intervals of fair weather, during our abode on the island, from Mount Misery; and it seemed to be distant between twenty and thirty leagues from us. We were now obliged to bear away right before the wind. Though the yawl was not far from us, we could see nothing of her, except now and then upon the top of a mountainous sea. In both the boats the men were obliged to sit as close as possible, to receive the seas on their backs, to prevent their filling us, which was what we every moment expected. We were obliged to throw everything overboard to lighten the boats, all our beef and even the grapnel, to prevent sinking.

Night was coming on and we were running on a lee-shore fast, where the sea broke in a frightful manner. Not one amongst us imagined it possible for boats to live in such a sea. In this situation, as we neared the shore, expecting to be beaten to pieces by the first breaker, we perceived a small opening between the rocks, which we stood for, and found a very narrow passage between them, which brought us into a harbour for the boats as calm and smooth as a millpond.

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